Australian radio station behind hoax call to set up memorial fund for Royal nurse's family

Jacintha Saldanha was found dead near the King Edward VII hospital in central London

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THE Australian radio station whose DJs duped a nurse with a prank call only for the woman to apparently take her own life is to set up a memorial fund for her family.

Jacintha Saldanha's husband and teenage children will receive at least £320,000 in donations from the advertising profits of Sydney broadcaster 2Day FM, whose presenters were behind the hoax call.

The nurse transferred the DJs, believing they were the Queen and Prince of Wales, to a colleague who described in detail the condition of the Duchess of Cambridge during her treatment for severe pregnancy sickness last Tuesday.

Ms Saldanha, 46, from Bristol, would have been devastated by her unwitting role in the scam, her brother has said. She was found dead three days later in a block of nurses' flats close to the King Edward VII's Hospital where she worked.

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The hospital defended its position last night, saying it had been in contact with Mr Barboza to offer him help and had also established its own Jacintha Saldanha Memorial Fund.

Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), the parent company of 2Day FM, announced that it was resuming advertising from Thursday, and that until the end of the year all profits would be donated to a fund directly benefiting Ms Saldanha's family.

The company said a minimum contribution of around £320,000 would be made.

Rhys Holleran, SCA's chief executive, said: "We are very sorry for what has happened. It is a terrible tragedy and our thoughts continue to be with the family.

"We hope that by contributing to a memorial fund we can help to provide the Saldanha family with the support they need at this very difficult time.

"The company today reiterates that it is deeply saddened by this tragic and unforeseen event and offers its condolences to the family of Jacintha Saldanha."

SCA has also cancelled the station's Christmas party, planned for later this week, as it would be "inappropriate" to go ahead with the event for Sydney staff, said a spokeswoman.

Instead, money which would have been spent on the party will go to charity, she added.

Mr Vaz spoke on behalf of the nurse's family last night while flanked by Ms Saldanha's husband and her two teenage children.

Standing outside Parliament, the Leicester East MP said: "This is a close family. They are devastated by what has happened.

"They miss her every moment of every day but they are really grateful for the support of the British public and to the public overseas for the messages of support and kindness."

He later released a statement calling for an inquiry.

"They want the facts to be established so that they can effectively grieve," he said.

"What is needed, clearly, is an inquiry by the hospital into how this tragic case happened.

"It is vitally important that the family are given all the support they need through the coming days and weeks."

The family also visited the King Edward VII's Hospital, where a private memorial service will be held later this week.

Mr Vaz's criticism came after the two Australian DJs behind the hoax call - Mel Greig and Michael Christian - gave an emotional account of their reaction to Ms Saldanha's death.

Interviewed on Australian TV networks, the 2Day FM presenters said their prank call to the hospital had "a tragic turn of events no-one could have predicted or expected".

A tearful Greig, who was at times comforted by Christian, told Today Tonight on Australia's Channel Seven: "There's nothing that can make me feel worse than what I feel right now. And for what I feel for the family.

"We're so sorry that this has happened to them."

In response to Mr Vaz's criticism, the hospital said its chief executive, John Lofthouse, had spoken to the nurse's husband on Friday by phone and offered to meet him whenever he wanted.

The hospital has also established a memorial fund in Ms Saldanha's name to provide financial support for her family, and made the first donation to the fund.

Southern Cross Austereo has ended Greig and Christian's Hot 30 show and suspended prank calls across the company.

Police in London have contacted their Australian counterparts with a view to interviewing the two DJs ahead of an inquest into Ms Saldanha's death.

Scotland Yard said an inquest would be opened and adjourned at Westminster Coroner's Court, likely to be later this week, after today's post-mortem examination has been completed.

Ms Saldanha's death is not being treated as suspicious.

Lord Glenarthur, chairman of King Edward VII's Hospital, welcomed Southern Cross Austereo's decision to make a sizeable donation to the family of Ms Saldanha.

He said: "I have today read that Southern Cross media group have pledged to make a minimum donation of 500,000 Australian dollars (£326,643) to an appropriate fund. We would certainly welcome such a donation to (our own) Jacintha Saldanha Memorial Fund."

Prime Minister David Cameron today said it was right for Ms Saldanha's family to be given all the information possible about her death.

Giving evidence to the House of Commons Liaison Committee, Mr Cameron was asked by Mr Vaz if he believed the family should be given all the facts.

The PM replied: "Of course. It is a dreadful case and an absolute tragedy for the family. When you read of how hard she had worked across her life and all the things she had done and how much she cared about health and looking after people...

"This is just a terrible, terrible case and, as I said yesterday, I am sure there are lessons to learn.

"When any of these things happen, having the full facts of the case doesn't bring anybody back, but it does, I think, help people come to terms with what has happened.